Afterburn
by MadienOfTheMoonlight17
Summary: It's been 16 years since Team Avatar defeated Ozai and restored the world to it's rightful balance. However that peace is threatened when Azula breaks free from jail. When Katara goes missing, and Zuko is attacked and assumed dead, can Team Avatar find Azula and put her back where she belongs before their children are threatened? Kataang, Tokka, ZukoxOC
1. Vanishing Act

**Maiden- I know I should be focusing on updating my other stuff, but my mind runs like 90 miles a minute nowadays! And during it's race around today, I was struck with inspiration by a DeviantArt collection. It depicted an older gaang, fighting a newly freed Azula and Zhou. However, this fic takes place about fifteen years after the defeat of Ozai and includes mine and my sister's Ocs. Many of you might recognize them as the Legendary Charmers from our joint fics as 3OfAKind. But in case you're new to them, here's a brief description. **

**Eria (Ear-A)- Originally from the Northern Water Tribe, Eria is a very powerful water bender. Chosen by the spirits as a 'charmer', Eria is able to blood bend without the aid of a full moon. She was born the same time period as Aang and acts as a guide to the avatar as well as a trainer. She, along with the other charmers, stays biologically young by drinking the water from the Spirit Oasis. Eria lost her younger brother to the fire nation during one of their first raids, so she became a bitter and cold person. She takes no mercy on those who prey on the weak or break the rules for no reason. **

**Hiita (Heat-A)- Born to a rich diplomat from the Fire Nation, Hiita grew up sheltered and locked away. But upon discovering Vagabons, Hiita decided she'd travel the world to see what she'd been missing out on. She became a master fire bender at age 12, but her parents discouraged her from ever using her power. She can manipulate the body temperature of any living organism, even going so far as to kill her opponet from the inside out. **

**Whynn (When)- A prodigy child of the air nomads, Whynn earned her tattoos at age 10. She was chosen by the spirits to become the Air Charmer when she taught herself how to control sound waves before she hit her teenage years. When the destruction of the air nomads began, she was sent away by the elders to protect her heritage. Guru Pa Tik found her some years later when she was 16, offering her solace at the Eastern Temple. **

**Aussa (Aw-Sa)- A hippie by nature, earth bender by birth. Aussa always seemed to have a special connection with the earth, earning her the nickname 'Mother Nature'. Eventually learning to bend plants by the soil they're planted in. Animals flocked to her for her gental and motherly aura. After seeing the malicious destruction of the Earth Kingdom under the reign of Azulan, Aussa fled from her home, deciding to live off the land she encountered. **

**Yori (Your-E)- Twin sister to Whynn, Yori is what the bending nations call a 'mut'. Her father was a fire bender while her mother, an air nomad. Yori seemed to inherit both bending traits of her parents. Upon her dual bending discoveries, her mother and adoptive father seemed to disown her. Yori went in search of a hybrid master, finally coming to find a kind earth/fire bending woman who couldn't speak. Upon the time of war, this mystical woman cast a sleep spell on Yori to preserve her until the Avatar returned. Knowing Yori would be needed to save the world. **

Chapter 1- Vanishing Act

_Water, Earth, Fire, Air_

_116 years have passed since the avatar, master of all four elements, mysteriously disappeared. He was found by a brother and sister pair named Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water tribe. The trio then embarked on a long and treacherous journey to defeat the fire lord and restore balance to the world. Along the way, they befriended a feisty earth bender named Toph Beifong and even the fire lord's own son, prince Zuko. When their mission was finally a success, the world began a new era of peace and love, under Zuko's rule. But where there is peace, there's always someone ready to threaten it..._

The heavy clunk of metal on wood sounded through the entire dungeon. The only sound to rattle the air in almost twenty four hours. The door to the lower part of the Fire Lord's palace opened when the sound ceased. In walked a young woman, appearing to graze her forties, but the air about her suggested she was much older. She wore a red wrap top, brown cotton pants with the fire nation insignia around the cuffs, brown leather gloves with red silk around the wrists and metal soled boots. Auburn locks brushed across her sun kissed cheeks while her amber eyes zeroed in on the middle cell. She held a small tray of food in her left hand, using her right to unlock the iron gate.

"Ya know if it were up to me, you'd starve." the woman spat towards the figure inhabiting the cell. "But your brother insists we keep you alive."

"Little Zu-Zu..." a velvety voice called out. "Always looking out for his little sister."

"You're lucky he has a heart...unlike you."

"So spiteful, Hiita." Azula scolded lightly. "It's not lady-like, you know."

"Like I give one damn!" the fire charmer shrieked, breathing flames. "Rot in hell, retch."

Hiita turned on her heel and left Azula, still cuffed to the wall, just like she found her. A malicious smile spread across Azula's ivory face the second Hiita slammed the door. Her hands cackled with electricity from inside the metal cuffs, successfully melting them. She might've suffered some second degree burns, but the former fire princess was free!

!

!

!

Katara breathed in the salty sea air from her kitchen window. She smiled and hummed softly as she stirred a broth with her bending. The chattering of flying lemurs, and the laughter of three children and one avatar being the background vocals. A loud cry of "Mommy!" broke the melodious atmosphere. A little boy no older than seven came running through the kitchen, clinging to his mother's leg.

"What's the matter, Bumi?" Katara asked, picking the toddler up.

"Kya water bended at me!" the master water bender took note of her son's wet hair and shirt. She giggled softly and bent the excess moisture into the sink. Katara kissed her son's cheek causing him to scowl and rub at his cheek. Katara merely chuckled before lowering the boy to the floor.

"Something smells wonderful." Aang greeted. His ten year old daughter slung across his shoulders and a five year old Tenzin wrapped around his leg. The avatar bent a small portion of the soup out of the pot and into his mouth.

"Hey! Wait until everyone gets here before you go eating up everything."

"What can I say?" Aang chuckled, leaning over to kiss his wife. "I just love your cooking."

"I swear. You and my brother eat like starving moose lions."

"But I'm the cuter one right?" Aang asked cheekily. Katara giggled and rubbed her husband's bald head just as the telephone rang. The air bender created two small puffs of wind to carry his children to the floor, and flitted over to the device that was mounted on the far wall.

"Avatar Aang here." he spoke into the receiver. His smile and cheery demeanor soon vanished, replaced with a deep set scowl and worry. "Don't worry, we'll find her. Round up the gaang and meet me on the island."

"Who was that?" Katara asked, hearing her husband slam the phone down.

"Hiita." Aang breathed. "Azula's escaped."

No sooner had the words left his mouth, thunder rumbled in the distance. Even the weather was gearing up for one hell of a fight.

!

!

!

"What the hell is so damn important that you had to drag me away from a training session!" Toph all but growled towards the fire charmer. Hiita had a firm grip on the chief of police's arm, tugging her down the streets of Republic City towards the city hall.

"I'll tell you when we're all together so I don't have to repeat myself!" Hiita hissed, her light jog turning into a full run. The blind woman behind her doing all she could to keep up. The two tumbled through the city hall's doors to be met with Sokka, Eria, Whynn, Aussa and Yori.

"What is this about Hiita?" Eria asked, her arms folded sternly across her chest. Oceanic eyes boring into Hiita's amber.

"Azula's escaped." the fire charmer braced herself for the onslaught of one metal bender, three element charmers, Fire Lady and mayor.

"And how did she escape, Hitta?" Eria asked, her oceanic eyes like ice, glaring at the fire charmer. "You're the head of security at the palace. So if Azula escaped, it's your fault!"

"It is NOT my fault, ice queen!" Hiita screamed, her fingertips glowing with tiny flames. "I was only down there long enough to give her her lunch! She melted the damned shackles!"

"How?" Yori asked, putting her hand on Eria's shoulder to keep her from lashing out again. "Those shackles are supposed to disable fire bending."

"How the hell should I know!" Hiita scoffed, folding her arms defensively.

"She probably bent lightning into the cuffs." Toph replied smoothly. "The metal used to make anti bending cuffs aren't sturdy enough to withstand lightning. Only fire."

"Now we know how she did it." Whynn began. "What we need to find out now is where she went and how we can get her back where she belongs. In the loony bin!"

The air charmer's enthusiasm was cut short when she noticed Aussa gravitating towards the door. The small earth charmer ignored her friends' cries of question and placed her hands on the ground. Her chi flowed from her fingertips to every living thing around her.

"She hasn't gotten far." Aussa spoke softly, her emerald eyes turning towards the group gathered at the entrance to city hall. "Probably just outside city limits."

"And there's our reinforcements now!" Sokka cried, pointing towards the large gust of wind appearing over the building tops. Aang slowly descended from his perch, his brow furrowed together in worry and angst.

"We need to detain Azula as soon as possible." The avatar spoke. "Sokka, you stay here and lock the city down. No one gets in or out. Toph, Hiita, Whynn, and Eria, you girls come with me."

"What about us?" Yori asked, gesturing to her and Aussa.

"I need you to guard my family." Aang spoke, his gray eyes softening. "I won't allow Azula to harm them."

"You can count on us, twinkle toes." Yori smirked. Aang grimaced at his old nickname, but forced himself to smile.

!

!

!

Yori sighed as she paced around the open parlor of Aang's home. Aussa watched the redhead retrace the same path over a few more times, before stopping the girl, her bending pinning her in place.

"Yori, he's fine," Aussa said, knowing the girl she called sister was agitated and worries for her husband who was on his way to join Aang." Symber is in playing with Tenzin, Bumi, Kya, and Lin; your family is safe."

"Hard to believe that when my bat shit sister in law is on a rampage," Yori sighed. Aussa let the girls feet go and she moved to sit next to Aussa. Yori studied the earth charmer's posture. Completely relaxed, void of any and all stress or cares. She was the voice of reason and nature, so it came as no surprise that Aussa was a chosen bender. Aussa smiled into the sunlight, closing her emerald eyes and letting the subtle winds blow through her earthy brown hair. As if right on cue, the kids came running into the room, all heading for the red head Fire Lady.

"Mummy, can you tell us about yours and daddy's wedding?" Symber asked, her amber eyes staring innocently into her mother's lilac. She moved onto her mothers lap and the other kids scooted around her and Aussa, knowing "Aunt" Yori told the best stories. Yori smiled, knowing it would be nice to have a distraction.

"It was a magical day, kiddos." Yori started, her eyes sparkling with memories.

"More like a side show." Aussa giggled, remembering the day all too well. In a fit of jealousy and rage, Mai, Zuko's ex girlfriend, tried to assassinate Yori. If it weren't for Toph's extraordinary senses, Mai would've succeeded.

Katara watched from afar, glad to have some help with five kids. It was hard enough with her own three, but add in Symber and Lin, and her household was utter chaos. She left the two powerful women alone with the children to retell their most famous story. The master waterbender walked outside to tend to the lemurs and bison, knowing the group of airbending animals should be expecting their dinner. Just as she'd made it to the stables, Katara felt a cloth being wrapped around her mouth, preventing her from screaming. She tried to summon her bending, but her hands had been cuffed behind her back.

"Long time no see, huh peasent?" came a velvety voice. Katara's blood ran cold, knowing the owner of the voice all too well. "You're coming with me, princess. It's about time I enact my revenge on you and Zu Zu for locking me up for all these years. And don't worry about your family. I'll leave them alone, as long as they stay out of my way."

Katara wasn't one to give in to demands so easily. She used her feet and legs to bend water from the air and try to form a blade to slash at the former fire princess. But Azula was expecting such actions. Using her fire bending to evaporate the water and quickly jab a few places on the waterbender's body to block her chi.

"I should've told you before. Ty Lee showed me a few tricks before she betrayed me."


	2. Momma Trauma

**Afterburn**

**Chapter 2- Momma Trauma**

Katara slowly came to, her blue eyes blinking open. At first, she thought herself to be in bed next to Aang. Everything involving Azula having been only a bad dream. But as she sat up, she found her hands and feet were still bound. Disoriented, the master water bender discovered she was inside a metal cage suspended from the ceiling of a dark bunker. The air was dry and cold, so she deduced that if her hands and feet weren't still tied together, she wouldn't be able to bend.

"Finally awake, pesent?" came the voice that sent shivers down Katara's spine.

"Let me go, Azula." Katara growled, trying to sound intimidating. But her voice came out as little more than a rasp.

"And why would I do that?" Azula asked with a cunning smile. "So you can escape and sick your Avatar husband on me? I think not."

"What do you plan to do with me? You know Aang and my family will come looking for me."

"I'll deal with your little 'friends' later. But as for you, you should know what I want with you." Azula stopped to chuckle darkly. Amber eyes glowing with the same insanity they held when she was a child. "You and my brother are the soul reason I was locked away in that forsaken prison for nearly seventeen years! Now, I'm planning my return to royalty."

"Good luck with that." Katara scoffed, rolling her azure eyes. "Just because you got me, dosen't mean you can get to Zuko."

"On the contrary, my dear. I believe you'll soon have a little playmate."

With a Cheshire smile, the former fire princess left the dark chamber. Leaving the water bending woman alone and powerless. She slumped against the bars of the cage and sighed heavily. Praying to the spirits someone comes to her rescue.

!

!

!

"I've looked everywhere!" Yori cried, running back into the open parlor of the Air Temple. Aussa came rushing in from the other direction just as out of breath and confused as her friend.

"It's not like Katara to leave without saying anything." the earth charmer mused.

"Aunt Yori! Aunt Aussa!" cried Kya. The Avatar's only daughter came sprinting into the room holding onto a strip of blue ribbon. "I found mom's necklace by the bison stables!"

The ten year old held out Katara's betrothal necklace for the two bending woman to see. Now panic and fear began to set in. That necklace was the water tribe woman's most prized possession. She never took it off, so if she's without it, it wasn't by choice. Before the child or Yori could say another word, Aussa took off towards the air bison's quarters. She stopped just before she reached Whynn's bison's stable, kneeling down and pressing her small hand into the soil. She felt her chi pathways flow and thrive with energy from the earth and plants around her. Subtle visions began to flicker across her emerald eyes, giving the charmer a pretty clear picture of what happened to her friend.

"Azula." she whispered, standing up and facing Republic City. The powerful bending woman thought for a moment before rushing to open Maya's stable, allowing Whynn's giant bison outside. She used her bending to lift her up onto the fluffy creature's saddle. "We've gotta get to Aang!" she yelled towards her hybrid friend.

"But what about the kids?!"

"We have no choice but to leave them here." Aussa's normally passevist nature beginning to take on a more serious note.

"But they're only children!" Yori's lilac eyes widened in horror. "They can't defend themselves yet!"

"They're gonna have to. If we take them with us, there's a chance we could run into Azula. And you know she'd take no mercy on them."

"I suppose..." Yori turned and looked at the five children now staring at the two charmers.

"Momma?" Symber asked, clutching the sides of her red and gold kimono.

"You and your 'cousins' will have to fair without us for a little while, sweetie." Yori kissed her daughter's forehead before hugging her nieces and nephews. "I know you're all still learning, but protect each other the best you can."

"Don't worry, auntie Yori." Bumi boasted, trying to puff out his small chest. "I'll protect them!" the seven year old pulled out the small boomerang his Uncle Sokka had given him and took a fighting stance. Yori chuckled and ruffled the boy's wild hair before using her air bending to join Aussa on Maya's back.

!

!

!

Azula stealthily moved through Republic City like she was nothing more than a shadow. She inwardly laughed at how easy it was to go undetected. Not bothering with a disguise, knowing she could just as easily kill whoever spotted her.

"Well lookie what we got here, boys." came a slurred voice. Amber eyes flickered over to a group of men loitering around an ally way a few feet behind her. "What's a pretty thing like you doing in the worst part of town?" the man asked, coming forward so Azula could see he was clearly a fire bender. He was tall with a good build and his soot black hair stuck straight up in spikes.

"If you value your lives, stay away from me." she warned.

"Ooh, I like 'em fiesty." he laughed, reaching to grab Azula's arm. But the former princess was quick and easily kicked him out of her way. The other two guys behind the first one lunged at her to protect their leader. But Azula clearly hadn't lost her touch. Within seconds, she had all three men defeated and wounded on the ground without having to utilize her bending.

"Just who are you?" she spat, kicking the leader in his stomach. He winced from the pain and coughed a few times, blood staining his lips.

"Triple threat triad." he weezed.

"Oh, so you're the thugs I've heard so much about." she mused. "I would've thought you'd been tougher than this. You'd be lucky to last one round in an Agni Kai with a four year old...Then again, no one could hope to stand a chance against _me._"

Azula stepped back and thought for a moment, mulling over each of the three men currently cowering beneath her.

"I have a proposition for you." she stated smoothly, brushing her loose hair back. "If you help me take down my brother, then I can promise you wealth beyond your wildest dreams."

"How can you promise that?"

"My name is Azula and rightful heir to the Fire Nation. But I've been locked away for quite some time. And now that I'm free, I look forward to taking back my title and my throne. The only thing standing in my way is my brother and the Avatar. So do we have a deal?"

The three men looked at each other with questioning glances, not sure if they bought Azula's story.

"And if you refuse, I'll just kill you right here. Can't have people knowing I'm free just yet."

Needless to say, the Triple Threat was now serving Azula.

!

!

!

Aang let out a disgruntled groan as he, Eria, Toph, Whynn and Hiita circled the city on Appa for the third time. It'd been at least two hours since the fire charmer found the former fire princess missing. The Avatar's gray eyes were sharp, staring down at the ground and catching every little movement.

"This is pointless, twinkle toes." Toph huffed. "If we haven't spotted her by now, she's obviously hiding somewhere."

"I have to agree with rock head, here." Eria deadpanned, smirking when she heard a low growl from Toph. "It's not like Azula would be careless enough to walk around in public in broad daylight. She has to be underground."

"Then land this giant fluff ball!" Toph cried. "If ice queen is right, then I can find her no problem!"

"Hold up, Aang." Whynn called, alerting the avatar to an incoming figure. "It's my sister and Aussa!" the air charmer flew from her seat in Appa's saddle to her sky bison. "Good girl, Maya." she cooed to her pet, landing her softly near Appa and the others.

"You two are supposed to be watching my family!" Aang thundered, floating to the ground.

"We know, air head!" Yori barked, standing her ground. "But we kinda have a problem!"

"Yeah, no shit sherlock." Toph hissed, jumping from Appa's back. She reveled in the comfort the earth brought her now that she was back on the ground. Aussa rolled her emerald eyes at the metal bender, turning her attention to the Avatar.

"Aang, this isn't easy to tell you...but Azula captured Katara."


End file.
